Okafor Ifiebor/ Port Harcourt

The Senator representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, has urged members of National Executive Committee (NEC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to place the interest of the party above every other consideration.

He also urged them to respect the informed position of the President to conduct congresses across all strata of the party to bring it in conformity with extant constitutional provisions of the Nigerian constitution and its own constitution.

Abe, who spoke during an extraordinary stakeholders meeting of the party in Port Harcourt commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his clear, bold and courageous stand on the constitutional issue of the elected party officials.

He said, “the President’s position has not only shown that the  All Progressives Congress (APC) is a party that respects the  true tenets of internal democracy and the dictates of the law, but has also steered the party clear of prospective danger”.

The Senator went further to assure that the party is irrevocably committed to the restoration of Rivers State to the expected dream of the people where justice and opportunities to create wealth would be made available to all.

Abe said, “Those of us who have faith in what we are doing, don’t be deterred, don’t be worried; continue to work hard. We are irrevocably committed to the emancipation of Rivers State. We are totally dedicated to the restoration of our state. We are completely determined to recalibrate the entire engine, the machinery of our state so that this state will be what our founding fathers had intended”.

“A place where there would be justice for all, both small and big; a place where there would be opportunity for all both small and big. A place where every tribe, every tongue, every denomination, every stranger will feel completely at home and will be given an opportunity to contribute their own quota to the development and prosperity of our state”.

He regretted that members of the APC has dumped the party for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), due to crumbs promised them, saying that that the solution to the hunger we are currently facing in Rivers State is not by going to beg crumbs from the table of anybody.

Abe, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on FERMA, said, “Sometimes when you are doing something, all kinds of naysayers will come up, all kinds of doubters will come, all  kinds of inflections will come to try to dissuade you, try to defray people, they try to defeat you even before you go into any contest.

“But those who know the secret of success know that first of all before you do anything, you must first convince yourself that what you are doing is the right thing. Once you are doing the right thing at the right time and in the right place, nobody can come to shake you from what you are doing”.

“I am saying this because some members of our party across the state who left the party were misinformed, misguided and deceived to move because they feel we are divided so they moved to somewhere, where they can see something to eat immediately”.

“But, let me say to everybody, that the solution to the hunger we are currently facing in Rivers State is not by going to beg crumbs from the table of anybody, it is by doing the right thing  so that you are strong enough to be one of those that will cook the food that will be on the table. I think it is only when we do that and we can expand the table to increase the food, that is when the challenge of hunger that is currently the bane of Rivers society will be totally and completely eliminated”.

“Today, Rivers State has one of the highest unemployment figures in the entire country and yet, this state has some of the greatest natural advantages, with which wealth can be created but we are not giving it that attention that is needed to generate wealth and create employment opportunities for thousands of our people”.

The communiqué issued at the end of the stakeholders meeting, which was read by Rt. Hon. Chibudom Nwuche enjoined members of the APC in Rivers State to return all party executives at all levels in the event of congresses irrespective of their factional leanings as a reward for their sacrifice and commitment to the APC, in the face of threats, intimidation and even physical danger.

Earlier, former senator representing Rivers West District in the National Assembly, Senator Wilson Ake, who chaired the event stated that the attitude and attributes of Senator Magnus Abe has convinced members of the party to mobilize support for him.

Also speaking, the member representing Ikwerre-Emohua Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Chidi Wihioka, urged Nigerians to be vigilant and  alleged that some names on permanent voter’s cards (PVC) issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are missing from the commission’s data base.